Gathering Nesting Material

In late February, the larger wetland birds in Florida were into their courtship, nest building, and sometimes even the raising of young.

Here are a few that were gathering nesting material:

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Anhinga

Anhinga

Great Egret

Good Birding ! !

Anhinga

The Anhinga, like the Wood Stork, seems like something out of another time. It is graceful in the air ...

... but awkward on land. I wish the still camera could have captured the bumbling efforts of this gentleman to find the right place on land to finally spread his wings for drying ...

I photographed this guy while he was still preening for the camera, but the good looking lady nearby was ready and waiting ...

Wood Storks do not always share the limited real estate with other nesting birds. Observers told me of several Great Blue Heron nest which fell victim to the real estate wars. But this Anhinga pair seems to have reached an accommodation, perhaps because they are content to take resident below the top-most penthouse level which the Wood Storks prefer. She appears to be incubating (lower right) while her mate preens nearby.

Anhingas were well into their nesting season ...

... with some nests filled with hungry and demanding young, or in this case, with a brood of sleeping kids.

Anhingas are sometimes known as the snake bird, with its long, thin neck and narrow head. We watched this one surface with a fish in its beak and swim across a large pond in this neck-extended manner. Eventually it worked the prey into the right position and enjoyed its dinner.

Good Birding!

Anhinga - a Weird Bird

Both Anhinga parents participate in the feeding of their young. The adult feed their young the small fish which they have caught by swimming underwater. If I have understood things correctly, enzymes are required to digest these fish, but the young do not have the enzymes in their system. They have to get the fish and the enzymes from their parents. This is how they do it ...

Yep, the youngest sticks its head and neck down the throat of its parent to get its enzyme ladden fish out of its parent's stomach. It's no wonder that mom looks so happy when the feeding is done ...

That's why I find the Anhinga to be one weird bird. But watching all of this certainly provided some moments of good birding!

Anhinga - a Weird Bird

I do hope I don't offend Anhinga lovers, but I find this bird of southern swamps to be one weird bird. It is sometimes called the darter, or snake bird. When fishing, only its head is seen wiggling about like a snake.

Anhinga - male

In Florida last month, I watched as it swam, rather slowly, under water looking for fish.

Like cormorants, it has to dry its wings after being in the water.

Anhinga - male

Sexes are easily distinguished. The female in the following photo appears to be near the nest which appears to be occupied by the male.

Anhinga - female

But ... come back in a couple of days for what I find is the definition of weirdness in this bird.